“What we are doing as a restaurant is radical: we have only 14 covers and we allow ourselves to move people away from ‘fine dining’ by pushing food, entertainment, music and my personality.”
The chef, the prize and the philosophy
In Bangkok, between the pulsating lights of modernity and the deep roots of millennial cultures, there is a place where cooking is not just a craft, but a form of artistic rebellion. It is called Gaggan - the name and soul of its chef, Gaggan Anand - and it has just been crowned, for the fifth time, Asia's best restaurant according to the prestigious Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2025.
A triumph that does not have the flavor of déjà vu, but that of an epic comeback: the last time a restaurant signed Anand had reached the top was seven years ago. Back then, his restaurant had held the top spot for four consecutive editions, marking an era. Today, with a revamped, more intimate and bolder version, Gaggan takes back the spotlight. The restaurant changed in 2019, when the chef decided to reinvent himself in a new location, and has since climbed the rankings with tenacity and vision.
"When in the past I reached the summit for the fourth time, I had lost the urge. But today I understand that lack was just a reflection of my self-doubt, my self-denial. Now I know that the older you get, the better you cook,", said the chef in a beautiful interview with the 50 Best network. He, originally from Kolkata, a former punk musician with a drummer's soul and a head full of ideas, now combines an unpredictable and heady mix of avant-garde Indian cuisine, Japanese suggestions, French hints and Thai warmth. But above all, a categorical rejection of textbook fine dining.
Today's Gaggan is a restaurant with only 14 seats, where every dinner is a synesthetic experience: food, music, entertainment and a dash of theater. A place where there are no white tablecloths, but real vibes. "We are rebels. Our motto is Be a rebel. We break the rules, but always with respect. We don't just want to be good: we want to be authentic. The challenge is that we live in an age where fine dining is extremely boring.", he explains. And just like a band that has found its sound, Gaggan plays a culinary melody that conquers palates but, before that, consciences. Because you come here not just to eat, but to remember what it really means to share. “At our table you sit 14 people, each with a different language, religion, culture ... and they become one story. You can't use your phone. You're just there. Entertained, involved. Human.”
Gaggan's triumph was not solitary: no less than three of his restaurants were awarded in the 2025 ranking, but the chef rejects personalism. “It's not about me. It's about Thailand. My heart is Thai, my soul is Thai. And today we all celebrate together as a family." In Asia's increasingly vibrant and cross-cultural restaurant scene, Gaggan is not just an outlier. He is a benchmark, a symbol for those seeking to push the envelope. And the final message, delivered from the stage during the award ceremony in Seoul, is a caress (and a wake-up call) to all young chefs: “Don't give up on your dreams. Dreams do come true. But only if you are ready to challenge yourself, to reinvent yourself. And above all, to be yourselves”. Because after all, even in the kitchen, he who dares wins.
